Recently, I was invited to speak to the Friends of the Edisto River and I met Hugo Krispyn, who lives on the headwaters of the North Fork of the Edisto. He wrote this about the dangers facing the Edisto and other S.C. rivers.

Christmas is supposed to be about Christ and spending time with family, not stressing about how the Christmas tree is not so perfect and how everything needs to be just right on the tree or all of the decorations throughout the house.
It makes me sad when there are so many people stressing over what to get someone.

The Buford High School cheerleaders continued their tradition of outstanding competition with a third straight top five finish in the state field.
The Jackets, fourth in Class AA the last two seasons, had a challenge for the 2016 season when they competed in Class AAA.
BHS, led by coach Julie Thompson, answered the challenge with a fifth overall finish in the Class AAA field at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia on Saturday.
The Jackets scored 245 points, improving their state qualifying score 11 points.

The sixth annual Mike Kersey Memorial wrestling tournament will feature a field of 14 teams and 210 wrestlers from across the Carolinas on Saturday.
The tournament, which begins at 9 a.m., features 10 South Carolina mat squads and four teams from neighboring North Carolina.

In Walmart on Nov. 26, I was behind a friendly and nice lady with a cart loaded with merchandise. I remarked to her that she had really good luck shopping.
When I started to pay for my purchases, the cashier advised that the lady before me had paid for mine. I was so surprised and so appreciative. But I didn’t get to thank her.
To this wonderful and kind person, I wish to say a big thank you! You made my day, and I will definitely pass it on to make someone else very happy. Thank you!

It is with great pride that we announce that new mental health support groups are expanding into Lancaster County.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the largest grass-roots mental health organization in the nation. NAMI chapters like Piedmont Tri-County train volunteers in Lancaster, Chester and York counties to lead confidential support groups for individuals and families affected by mental illness.

South Carolina Gamecocks senior guard Sindarius Thornwell, a Lancaster native and former Bruins’ basketball star, has been suspended indefinitely.
Gamecocks coach Frank Martin said in a Sunday statement that Thornwell was suspended for violating an athletic department policy, but did not disclose the policy in question.

Andrew Jackson High second-year head coach C.J. Frye said the Volunteers will need a top effort to keep their season alive Friday night when they face Saluda in Class AA Upper State second-round football playoffs.
AJ, 8-2, earned its shot at the 10-1 Saluda Tigers with a 42-21 win over Ninety Six on Friday night at home.
AJ trailed 21-20 at the half, but roared back for the 21-point victory to keep its Class AA state title hopes alive.